One of the most compelling albums ever recorded by British alto genius Joe Harriott – a very unusual record that has him working with guitarist Amanico D'Silva, in a style that's got some wonderful modal undertones! The feel here is a bit like Harriott's work with Michael Garrick – minus piano, of course – as he and D'Silva work through some tunes that are long, filled with complicated rhythms, yet still have a magically dancing sound. The mood shifts a bit from track to track – as Norma Winstone comes in for wordless vocals on two numbers, and Ian Carr blows a bit on one tune – and there's one short track on the record that only features Harriott's alto next to a bit of drums. Great stuff all around – with titles that include "NNNT", "Hum Donon", "Jaipur", "Stephano's Dance", and "Ballad For Goa". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Totally great stuff by The Hollies – and don't let anyone else tell you any different! For Certain is one of the band's greatest albums – forged out of some totally great songwriting, amazingly precise guitar parts, and sharp-edged vocals that make the tracks sparkle and glisten. Big hits include "Pay You Back With Interest" and "Stop Stop Stop" – but it's all great, and other titles include "Tell Me To My Face", "Clown", "What's Wrong With The Way I Live", and "Crusader". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A really joyous album from the Kenyan scene at the end of the 70s – a set that has cascading group vocals even more in the lead than percussion and guitar – yet all delivered with this light, compact style that gives the whole record a really fluid sense of energy! Both presentation and production are nicely lean for the time – especially given some of the modes that were coming into play in the West African scene – and the whole approach really makes the whole thing almost feel more like some sort of spontaneous musical collaboration than a record that was cut in the studio for EMI. Titles include "Mapenzi Tele", "Pole Na Safari", "Rosa Wa Tanzania", and "Caren Atieno". LP, Vinyl record album

French recordings from the group of alto saxophonist Willie Lewis – with players that include Bobby Martin on trumpet, Benny Carter on alto, Herman Chittison on piano, and Frank Big Boy Goodie on tenor! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Seminal funk from the Brazilian scene of the 70s – one of those really rare, really one-of-a-kind albums – but one that also seems to perfectly sum up the sound of the times as well! Di Melo's a mighty funky cat – and works here with these bass-heavy arrangements from Geraldo Vespar – very groovy and filled with lots of influence from American soul of the time, yet delivered in a style that's decidedly Brazilian too! There's a sense of sparkle to the album that recalls the charm of Jorge Ben in his funkiest modes – but Vespar also brings in some nicely jazzy flourishes too – especially on the keyboards and horn passages, which really go past the usual EMI/Odeon modes of the time. The whole thing's great – a soulful treasure all the way through – and titles include the funky classic "A Vida Em Seus Metodos Diz Calma", plus "Kilario", "Aceito Tudo", "Pernalonga", "Jodao", "Alma Gemea", "Se O Mundo Acabasse Em Mel", and "Minha Estrela". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album by Marisa Monte, and the start of a fantastic run of records – really strong work that had Monte emerging as maybe one of the strongest new acts in Brazil at the time! The set is live, which is unusual for a debut – and that also makes for energy that's a bit more raw and spontaneous than you might guess from some of Monte's later, more sophisticated production – especially when the singer hits some sharper edges that almost feel punkish at points. The small group features Roberto Alves on piano – and the set list includes a version of Os Mutantes' "Ando Meio Desligado", plus "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", "Speak Low", "Comida", "Negro Gato", and a nice remake of "Chocolate", an old Brazilian soul song by Tim Maia. LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

An ambitious mix of rootsy samba and soaring orchestrations – one of the strongest 70s albums by Clara Nunes, and set to arrangements by Francis Hime, Nelsinho, and Maestro Gaya! The record manages to sit on both sides of a sound with tremendous ease – never getting bogged down in its own ambition, yet still pushing Clara forward with a fresh approach. Titles include "Canto Das Tres Racas", "Fuzue", "Risos E Lagrimas", "Ai Quem Me Dera", "Tenha Paciencia" and "Retrato Falado". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

No charity needed here – as reedman Eji Oyewole's got a wealth of talent on his own! Eji's a musician with roots in the 60s Nigerian scene, but left to follow a personal path through Europe and the US, where he picked up some wonderfully funky styles which are then brought home to create this completely cooking late 70s album! The style's different than other big Afro Funk names of the time – like Fela Kuti or Manu Dibango – but shares a similar sense of flowing, open grooves – and Eji's ability to act strongly as both a lead vocalist, and a soaring soloist on tenor, soprano, and flute! Rhythms are damn funky at the core – with almost a blacksploitation vibe at times – and the tracks are all quite long, with most of the real "voice" coming from the saxes, which speak volumes on their solos. Titles include "Gele Odun (Oil Boom)", "Lagos Complex Highways", "Unity In Africa", and "Charity Begins At Home". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

An early 70s collection of previous work from Pink Floyd – and a crucial display of the younger group's charm to folks who'd only discovered them in the longform jamming years! The set's got some great vocal gems from the Syd Barrett years, plus the kind of fantastic guitar work that the group could pack into a three minute cut – long before they were letting loose with extended cuts. Titles include "Arnold Layne", "Interstellar Overdrive", "See Emily Play", "Julia Dream", "Careful With That Axe Eugene", "Cirrus Minor", and "Bike". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

Finnish soul by an American singer – not the same Charles Williams that you might know from 70s jazz funk albums – but an even earlier talent, really shining brightly here in a soulful Scandinavian setting! The album's a really lost rare groove treasure – a record that almost has the same sort of depth as American soul albums of the time – thanks in large part to Williams' great arrangements on the set, which are a mix of funky club and jazz, with room enough for some nice instrumental passages next to the vocals. The mellower cuts showcase Williams' deeper soul styles, and the more upbeat ones have this sweet lead gliding beautifully over tight instrumentation – never too polished or commercial. Titles include the wicked funk classic "Change It", plus "Standing", "Your Life", "Love Is A Very Special Thing", "Helen", "Standing In The Way", and "Theme From Long Road". LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Fats Domino, Dave Bartholomew, Smiley Lewis, Smilin' Joe, Archibald, Earl King, Huey Smith & The Clowns, Ford Eaglin, Joe Houston, and Big Jay McNeely. LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Dave Sampson & The Hunters, Dickie Pride, Vernon Girls, Terry Wayne, Don Lang, Ray Ellington, Squadronaires, Janice Peters, Vince Taylor & His Playboys, The Silhouettes, Jean & The Statesides, The Olympics, The Memos, and Bobby Day & The Satellites. LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Bobby Freeman, The Clovers, Fats Domino, The Rivingtons, Johnny Darrow, The Everglades, Robert Parker, Human Beinz, The Beach Boys, The Silhouettes, The Five Keys, The Roller, The Senors, Johnny Otis, and The Larks. LP, Vinyl record album

From the vaults of Liberty and United Artists, with selections by Jay & The Americans, Bertell Dache, Johnny Maestro, The Belmonts, Patty Duke, Mike Clifford, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Bobby Vee & The Johnny Mann Singers, The Fleetwoods, Patience & Prudence, Johnny Burnette & The Johnny Mann Singers, and Jan & Dean. LP, Vinyl record album

Label sampler with selections by Kraftwerk, The Stranglers, Thomas Dolby, Kate Bush, Diana Ross, Kim Carnes, Duran Duran, Olivia Newton-John, Billy Squier, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A mega-hit for David Bowie – and an album that reduced some of the complexity of previous efforts, yet still managed to hold onto all that was great! There's definitely some massive chart material here, but the tunes are still some of the best of their time, pop-wise – tracks that bring forward the best dark corners of the Bowie mythos, and refine them slightly for a new generation – always in tunefully compelling ways. And despite the crossover fame of the set, it holds up surprisingly well over the years – possibly because of that status. Did you know that Stevie Ray Vaughan plays guitar on this album? Titles include "Modern Love", "China Girl", "Let's Dance", "Without You", "Criminal World", and "Cat People" (in a different take than the soundtrack version.) LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A great snapshot of jazzy London in the years before the acid jazz explosion of the late 80s – and a surprisingly great soundtrack that's stood the test of time much more than the actual film! The music here represents a jazz-based undercurrent of the London scene that was already turning its ears back in time – to a pre-mod era of the late 50s, which is the setting for Colin McInnes original novel used for the film – portrayed here in a pastiche of vocal and instrumental songs that often have a fair bit of classic touches! Gil Evans was brought in for most of the instrumentals, and turns out some really sparkling charts that have all the charm of his best work of the 50s – and other contemporary artists do a pretty great job themselves – at least on the more jazz-based numbers. Evans numbers include "Va Va Voom" – and the better jazzy tunes includes the excellent "Killer Blow" by Sade, plus "Have You Ever Had It Blue" by The Style Council, "That's Motivation" and "Absolute Beginners" by David Bowie, "Rodrigo Bay" by Working Week, "Selling Out" by Slim Gallard, and "Riot City" by Jerry Dammers. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of Egberto Gismonti's fantastic records from the seventies, and is waaaay better than anything he did for an American label. It's a wild mix of strident jazz and odd "experimental" moments, with a lot of joy and a lot of wonderful emotions running through all the tracks. The album's filled with baroque arrangements, cool keyboards, and lots of Gismonti's haunting compositions! Titles include "Frevo", "Cancao Da Espera", "Selva Amazonica", "Saudacoes", and "Maracatu". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Includes their number one 1982 Billboard hit, "Centerfold" and also "Freeze-Frame". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A really unique later album from Peggy Lee – one that's so different than the brash confidence of her early material, and which shows her really perfecting that boozy, mature sound that she brought to a handful of gems like this! The album's got a truly adult approach to pop that was less concerned with chart placement than it was with getting over a more sophisticated level of expression – and Peggy turns out to be wonderfully well suited for this mode – a deeply emotive singer by this point, capable of bringing a deeper sense of life into younger tunes of the era, fleshing them out with the newer freedoms of the time, yet without going overboard. There's almost a Robert Altman sense of poise and adult grace to these tunes – arranged by Artie Butler with a careful simplicity, and sung by Peggy with some of the truest emotion of her days on record. Titles include "Love Song", "Razor", "When I Found You", "A Song For You", "It Takes Too Long To Learn To Live Alone", "Someone Who Cares", and "Just For A Thrill". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Nick Ingman's the arranger on Close Encounters – and helps give the record a disco vibe that's quite different than the usual sci fi set – a groove that clearly stems from Ingman's great sound library work of the 70s – touched here with plenty of clubby rhythms and some especially great keyboards at times. The whole thing's funkier than you might expect – and titles include "Close Encounters", "Flight Fantastic", "Space Patrol", "Solar Sailor", "The Omega Man", "Star Wars", "Time Machine", and "Blake's 7". LP, Vinyl record album

Warmly mellow work from Marisa Monte – a record that's issued in conjunction with her samba-styled Universo Ao Meu Redor album, but which has a sound that's much more in keeping with her Memorias Cronicas E Declaracoes set from a few years back! The backings here are often mellow and laidback – bits of keyboards and guitar that snake lazily alongside Monte's beautiful vocals – which themselves sparkle and glow with qualities that are far better than we remember from before. Production here is nicely subdued and almost invisible at times – but there's clearly enough magic going on in the studio to make Marisa sound this great, especially in comparison to most of her earlier work. Titles include "Levante", "Aquela", "Garanio", "Quem Foi", "Infinito Particular", "Vilarejo", "Ate Parece", and "Pernambucobucolismo". LP, Vinyl record album

Lovely work from Marisa Monte – perhaps a bit sweeter than some of her earlier stuff, but pretty darn catchy, and with some excellent production by Arto Lindsay! The tracks have a mellow breezy feel, with a compressed production style that includes a lot of flanged-out guitar, subtle electronics, and warm acoustic touches. As with most of Marisa's albums, the record's filled with work by famous guest stars – like Joao Donato, Arnaldo Antunes, Marc Ribot, Carlinhos Brown, and others. Titles include "O Que Me Importa", "Nao E Facil", "Perdao Voce", "Abololo", "Gotas De Luar", and "Agua Tambem E Mar". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album by Marisa Monte, and the start of a fantastic run of records – really strong work that had Monte emerging as maybe one of the strongest new acts in Brazil at the time! The set is live, which is unusual for a debut – and that also makes for energy that's a bit more raw and spontaneous than you might guess from some of Monte's later, more sophisticated production – especially when the singer hits some sharper edges that almost feel punkish at points. The small group features Roberto Alves on piano – and the set list includes a version of Os Mutantes' "Ando Meio Desligado", plus "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", "Speak Low", "Comida", "Negro Gato", and a nice remake of "Chocolate", an old Brazilian soul song by Tim Maia. LP, Vinyl record album

A real departure for Marisa Monte – an album of samba tunes done in mostly traditional modes! The style here is often simple and classic – bits of guitar, percussion, cavaquinho, and slight use of keyboards to warm things up a bit – but mostly in a way that allows for the strongest focus on Marisa's vocals, and only a hint of the playfully modern touches of some of her other work. Guest stars include David Byrne, Paulinho Da Viola, Daniel Jobim, and others – but the real focus here is on Marisa, on titles that include "Universo Ao Meu Redor", "Statue Of Liberty", "Tres Letrinhas", "Perdoa Meu Amor", "Cantinho Escondido", "Vai Saber", "Para Mais Ninguem", and "Quatro Paredes". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Sharp hooks, huge melodies, and pleasing 70s guitar pop greatness from Pilot! From The Album Of The Same Name includes their signature tune, "Magic" – and it's one of those songs everyone knows, whether or not they know who made it – but Pilot soars all around on these tunes. The guitars have punch, but the falsetto vocals are the main cabin of this vessel – and it's grand 70s soft rock of the first order! Other tracks include "Just A Smile", "Lucky For Some", "Girl Next Door", "Sooner Or Later", "Never Give Up", "Sky Blue", and "Over The Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant bit of psychedelia – still as fresh today as it was many decades back – and the crowning achievement of Pink Floyd during the early Syd Barrett years! The album's got all the best elements of the group firmly in place – the penchant for long-jamming tracks that still manage to always maintain a sharp edge – mixed with some of the wittier, more playful lyrics that Barrett brought to the group – all wrapped up with a sense of depth and darkness that goes way beyond most of their contemporaries. The record's a masterpiece through and through – from its first guitar-heavy jam on "Astronomy Domine", through the strutting, vamping madness of "Bike" – all up and down other gems that include "Lucifer Sam", "The Gnome", "Take Up Thy Stethoscope & Walk", "Interstellar Overdrive", "Chapter 24", and "The Scarecrow". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Easily the best-remembered album by Labi Siffre – thanks to some well-used sample tracks over the years! But over and above the fame of the funky tunes "The Vulture" and "I Got The", the record's a key part of Siffre's 70s catalog – a record that's as great for its complex songwriting and deeply personal lyrics as it is for its Fender Rhodes lines, and tight musical backings from the combo of Big Jim Sullivan. All titles here are originals, and even when the groove slows down there's a depth that clearly marks Labi as one of the best singer/songwriters of the 70s – a talent who's been finally rediscovered in recent years, although sometimes only remembered for a few jazzy hooks from these tunes, and not the strength of the whole magilla! Here's your chance to dip into the Siffre sound at its fullest – on tracks that include "The Vulture", "I Got The", "Another Year", "Down", "Old Time Song", "Sadie & The Devil", "Remember My Song", and "Turn On Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "Rock This Town", "Stray Cat Strut", "Runaway Boys", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Edgey pop work from the enigmatic singer Taiguara – a bit sweet, a bit baroque, and one of those talents who was secretly helping to push Brazilian pop into the next level! The album features Taiguara's hits, and is a bit less experimental than some of his non-single album cuts – but it still is a great representation of the blend of styles he worked in, and some of the dark and psychedelic orchestrations that made his work so great. Titles include "Viagem", "Piano E Viola", "Teu Sonho Nao Acabou", "O Velho E O Novo", "Carne E Osso", and "Modinha". LP, Vinyl record album

A compilation of early recordings by Rod Stewart, Billy Joel, David Bowie, Linda Ronstadt, Dave Edmunds, Boz Scaggs, Warren Zevon, Jeff Lynne, Willie Nelson, Nick Lowe, and Greg & Duane Allman. LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool early EP from The Animals – the group's second in this format, and never originally issued in the US! The group are at their young, gritty best here – with lots of bluesy currents in the music, thanks to Alan Price on Hammond – topped with soulful vocals from the mighty Eric Burdon, who never fails to blow us away. Titles include the great "I'm Mad Again", plus "Bury My Body", "She Said Yeah", and "I'm In Love". 12-inch, Vinyl record

Maybe our favorite Beatles album ever – a key set that bridges the catchiness of the early years and the sharper ideas of later albums – with a slightly sinister undercurrent that really keeps things fresh! The album's got some great early psych in spots, offset with wonderfully mature and sweet lyrics on the love songs – cross-cut with a bit of witty social commentary too! The blend is amazing – a pre-Sgt Peppers moment of the group that maybe captures them at their most honest and open – all the depth of records to come, but some of the more direct modes of previous sets too. Tracks include "Taxman", "Eleanor Rigby", "Love You To", "Here There & Everywhere", "She Said She Said", "And Your Bird Can Sing", "Tomorrow Never Knows", and "For No One". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album from Lo Borges – one of the best singer/songwriters on the Brazilian scene of the 70s! Borges first burst into the spotlight for his work on the Club Da Esquina album by Milton Nascimento – and his work as part of Milton's "corner club" really helped shape the style of the more famous singer. Yet Borges is almost an equally great talent on his own – with a soaring, soulful approach that's every bit as great as the best Nascimento material from the period – and recorded in a wonderfully similar spirit! The sound here is completely sublime right from the start – music that moves us, even if we can't understand the language of the lyrics – like some of the best work by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil. There's maybe a bit more guitar than on some of the Milton Nascimento work of the period – but used in a fuzzy way that slides in nicely with some of the jazzy phrasing of the instrumentation – which is delivered with help from key contemporaries who include Beto Guedes, Nelson Angelo, Toninho Horta, and Tenorio Jr. The songwriting is amazing – and titles include "Cancao Postal", "Voce Fica Melhor Assim", "Nao Foi Nada", "Calibre", "Faca Seu Jogo", "Toda Essa Agua", "Pensa Voce", "Como O Machando", and "Aos Baroes". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A great little comeback moment from David Bowie – with a great cut from a soundtrack on the flip! "Let's Dance" really got Bowie back on top in the early 80s – thanks to some production help from Nile Rogers, who made the tune groove perfectly for the dancefloors. But we're even more partial to "Cat People" – a great little tune from the remake of that film form the early 80s – a dark number that swells nicely on the chorus! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Rare early work from David Bowie – served up here on a special four track EP! Titles include "I Pity The Fool", "Take My Trip", "You've Got A Habit Of Leaving", and "Baby Loves That Way". 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album